Knitted hosiery such as women's panty hose has long been known, and a wide variety of designs for such hosiery have been proposed. Such undergarments generally cover the waist, legs, and optionally the feet of the wearer. See, for example, Harper U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,054, issued June 9, 1979, Appleton U.S. Pat. No. 256,532, issued Apr. 18, 1882, and Artzt U.S. Pat. No. 2,664,570, issued Jan. 5, 1954. Such hosiery is often knitted on a circular knitting machine and then assembled from a pair of tubular knitted blanks.
Some such garments provide separate stocking and panty portions which are sewn together at a seam (e.g., Rice U.S. Pat. No. 2,826,760, issued Mar. 18, 1958) or knitted together continuously (e.g., Safrit et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,213,312, issued Jul. 22, 1980). Elastic fabrics such as spandex have been incorporated into the panty portion of such garments to provide a "control top" at the waist or belly, and to impart a decorative pattern to the garment. See, in particular, Cassidy, Sr. U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,933,013, issued Jan. 20, 1976, and 3,956,906, issued May 18, 1976. Reinforced waistbands for panty hose are also well known, as exemplified by Cassidy, Sr. U.S. Pat. No. 4,150,554, issued Apr. 24, 1979. Women's nylons have also been provided with reinforced heel and toe portions. See the Harper patent cited above, and Taylor U.S. Pat. No. 1,227,217, issued May 22, 1917.
Long underwear and athletic undergarments which cover the lower half of the body, sometimes excluding the feet, are also well known. Note, for example, Kearn U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,466, issued May 30, 1978. In an early design, a sock is releasably secured to a stocking so that it could be removed and replaced when soiled or worn beyond use (Ryan U.S. Pat. No. 319,131, issued June 2, 1885). Another known garment provides a pair of athletic socks which are sewn to the bottom ends of the stocking portions of a support hose undergarment. See White U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,368,546, issued Jan. 18, 1983, and 4,506,392, issued Mar. 26, 1985.
Knitting has long been a favored method for making undergarments, stockings and socks. Many knitting techniques are known for producing stripes, raised ribbing, and other decorative patterns in socks and similar garments. See, e.g., Keziah U.S. Pat. No. 3,194,030, issued Jul. 13, 1965. Computer-controlled circular knitting machines can provide a sock having an elaborate design thereon. The design is created using computer graphics, and the graphic image of the desired design is then automatically knitted by the machine. One such machine is the Magica Colosio from Cesare Colosio s.r.l, Italy.
With the exception of long underwear and certain athletic undergarments, modern panty hose has been designed exclusively for women. Women's panty hose offer a number of advantages over long underwear currently sold to men. Panty hose is relatively light weight as compared to long underwear, and is made with sufficent elasticity to resiliently support the legs. Such support can improve blood circulation in the legs, especially in older persons. Long underwear is also bulky and difficult to wear under other clothing as compared to panty hose.
In cold climates, women commonly wear panty hose under jeans or other pants for additional warmth and body support without restrictive bulkiness. Some men, particularly men in need of extra leg support, have tried wearing women's panty hose under their clothing. Since men wish to avoid being seen wearing a garment designed for women, they will typically wear regular or support socks over the foot portion of the panty hose.
Such use by men of women's panty hose has proven unsatisfactory in practice. The panty hose fits poorly because it is configured to the shape of a woman's body, not a man's. High top socks (knee socks) tend to sag when worn over panty hose made of a synthetic fabric such as nylon unless the socks have a tight, relatively thin top elastic band. Such a tight thin band is uncomfortable and can defeat the circulation-improving effects of the support hose. Men who wear ordinary socks over support hose for long periods also risk blistering of the feet due to sliding contact between the two unattached sock layers. Moreover, the synthetic fabric of the support hose has poor moisture transmitting characteristics. This causes perspiration to collect between the foot and the fabric of the support hose. Men thus have no garment comparable to women's panty hose which is free of the foregoing disadvantages.